Todmorden, Heptonstall
& Erringden
Todmorden and Heptonstall lie in Calderdale on a main road over the Pennines from Rochdale through Littleborough, Todmorden, Heptonstall past Midgley to Halifax. Todmorden Glen Midgley is researching William Midgley born about 1827 in Todmorden, son of John born about 1790.* William was a Lancashire farmer who at one time held five-hundred acres. He married Maria Sagar/Sager and they lived at Sagar Fold near Burnley in the late 1800's. They married 3rd November 1846 at St. Mary's Church Clitheroe, Lancashire, her father was Edmund Sagar.1 * Glen seems to think that Jackie Hendry has located William's parents as John Midgley and Mary Wadsworth, with William their son beinmg baptised on the 8th June 1829 at Heptonstall. There is also a John Midgley who married Susan Fielder on the 30th December 1823 at St. Mary's Church, Todmorden.1 John Midgley Edward Sagar/Sager==28 April 1816====Mary Embley | | William Midgley======3rd Nov. 1846=======Maria Sagar/Sager Farmer of Waddington | _______________________________________________________________________ | | | | John James Edmund Sagar Amos Elizabeth b. 1st Oct. 1847 b.1848 b. 2nd June 1850 b.1856 To New Zealand Contact: Glen Midgley Text file for Midgley of Todmorden A pedigree of the Midgley's of Rochdale descending from Midgley of Bottomley Fold near Todmorden, constructed by Martin B. Gillett with additions. [N.B. the link between William b. 1758 and James b. c. 1724 is not yet found. William b. 1758 is shown on the I.G.I. as having a father named William not James, this William was born in 1831 and was married in Rochdale in 1752.] 1841 CENSUS HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD INDEX OF THE TOWNSHIP OF TODMORDEN AND WALSDEN: Midgley Francis Stansfield Kitson Royd 25 cotton weaver y = born in county b~1816 Midgley Hannah Walsden General Wood 40 house keeper y b~1801 Midgley John Stansfield Kitson Royd 50 farmer y b~1791 Midgley John Walsden Butcher Hill 55 shoe maker n b~1786 Midgley Joseph Walsden Hollings 50 labourer y b~1791 Midgley Luke Walsden Knowlwood 24 cotton spinner n b~1817 Midgley Martha Langfield Stackhills 70 independent n b~1771 Midgley William Walsden Inchfield Fold 20 cotton spinner y b~1821 Midgley William Langfield George Street 25 tailor y b~1816 Midgley William Stansfield Kebcote 40 inn keeper y b~1801 Midgley William Stansfield Proud Row 69 independent y b~1772 ************************** GRAVE PLOTS FOR CHRIST CHURCH TODMORDEN: William Midgley 1 Fair View 30-Mar 1907 62 James Edward Midgley 74 Longfield Rd 21-Nov 1938 55 Hannah Mary Midgley Longfield Rd 25-Jan 1961 70 ********************** MEMORIAL INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE BURIAL GROUND AT LUMBUTTS CHAPEL: C21. G.bk.no. 177. Marble cross with side stones. To the memory of Luke Midgley of Hurstly, Kilnhurst Rd. Todmorden who died March 3 rd 1931 aged 65 years. Also Alice Ann his wife who died Jan. 20 th 1918 aged 52 years. Also Alice Agnes his wife who died March 5 th 1929 aged 72 years. ******* C25. G.bk.no. 184. Sculpted grit stone lancet with marble side pillars . In loving memory of Samuel Midgley of Mount Pleasant, Shade, Todmorden. Born Aug. 6 th 1845 . Died Feb. 28 th 1900. Thy will be done. Also of Hannah beloved wife of the above who died Sept. 15 th 1932 aged 82 years . At rest. Also of George H. Stansfield of 1, Strines St. Walsden, nephew of the above Died Nov. 18 th 1948 aged 68 years . At rest. *********************** D5. G.bk.no. 223 and 224. Lancet and low ledger. Grit stone. " Not my will but thine be done ". In loving memory of Benjamin, son of William Henry and Lucetta Midgley of Lee. Died Feb.13 th 1905 aged 20 years. Also Arthur, Eliza and Edwin children of the above interred at Birchcliffe. Also Private Ernest Midgley, Aged 20 years , reported missing in France, May 27 th 1918 , afterwards presumed dead. Also of Lucetta, wife of Wm. Henry Midgley . Died March 10 th 1936, Aged 79 years . In loving memory of Ernest son of Amos and Edith Midgley ,138 Halifax Road, Todmorden died Feb. 27 th 1927 aged 8 years . Also of Jack their son Causey West Farm, Lumbutts , died Dec. 19 th 1937 aged 17 years . Also of Will their son died Sept. 5 th 1940 aged 16 years . Also an infant. In loving memory of the aforesaid Amos Midgley died 6 th Jan. 1949 aged 52 years . Also Edith Emily wife of Amos Midgley died Dec.1 st 1965 aged 69years ****************** Heptonstall The place-name Heptonstall originates from O.E. heope or heopa + tun-stall, meaning 'a farmstead where rose-hips or brambles grow' In 1253 recorded as Heptonstall. In the 1200's a chapelry was established by the Norman families Soothill and de Laci at Heptonstall Township. Until Luddenden Church at Midgley was built, inhabitants had to travel to Halifax Parish Church even for burials until the 1600's Heptonstall lies high in Calderdale, a Pennine Pass. This town was a point where the manor of Wakefield had to be controlled at its western extremity. It became important in contolling the route over the Pennines from Lancashire and Cheshire to West Yorkshire. Part of the town was burnt down during the Civil Wars between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers, in Charles I's time. Heptonstall Slack and Hebden Bridge Lanes lie within the township.
1. Richard Midgley 2. A daughter who married Thomas Greenwood who had a daughter Alice. 3. second daughter who married _______ Baker who had a daughter Alice 4. A third daughter, Jennett who married _______ Tomson.
Erringden The family of Walter Midgley, opera singer, originated in the Heptonstall - Erringden area. This family moved to a number of sites in Yorkshire before maintaining a public house in Macclesfield..Eventually, Walter's parents moved to Bramley, South Yorkshire where Walter attended school. Also see the Barnsley and District page. DOWNLOAD a Gedcom for Midgley of Heptonstall. Brenda Chamber's great grand-father Jonathon Midgley
was born at Warley, W.R.Y. His family moved from
Erringden to live and work at Cooper House Mill, Luddenden Foot
/ Warley nr. Halifax. At this time the owners of the mill were John & William Whitworth
& Co. Ltd.who rebuilt the mill about 1862. Jonathan emigrated to
Victoria, Australia in early the early 1870s under the spelling of Miggeley
but he personally spelled it as Midgley. His family lived at the Cooper House Mill, Halifax and apart
from their mother, all worked in the mill. Jonathon trained as a carpenter at the mill and his two
younger sister, by the age of eight, worked as weavers in the mill. A small number of the mill homes still exist. From a study of census' and birth records this family is found to originate from Erringden about 1818 beginning with the birth of David Midgley. He married Mary who was also born in Erringden about 1816. In the 1851 census David is described as a 'factory operative' in 1861 as an 'out labourer' and 1871, a 'cotton mill hand'. David and Mary had at least seven children: 1. Foster Midgley b~ 1839 Erringden. 1861- unmarried, joiner; 1871- a joiner, married. He married Margaret b~ 1838 in Wadsworth. 2. Betty Midgley b~ 1843, Erringden. In thee 1861 census she is a 'power loom weaver'. 3. Henry Midgley b~ 1846, Erringden, 1861- stoker. 4. Sarah A. Midgley b~ 1849 Erringden. 1861 - Worstead spinner. 5. Alice Midgley b~ 1851 at Warley. 1861- Worstead spinner. From about 1850 the family moved from Erringden to Warley / Ludeenden Foot.residing at Cooper House Mill. 6. Mary J. Midgley b~ 1843 Warley. 1861- Worstead spinner. 7. John Midgley b~ 1856 Warley. 1861 - scholar. Foster Midgley and his wife Margaret had at least four children: 1. John Foster Midgley b~ 1862 Warley. 1861 - 'Doffer'. 2. Betty b ~ 1864 Warley. 1871 - Scholar. 3. David b~ 1865 Warley. 1871 - Scholar. 4. Ann b~ 1867 Warley. 1871 - Scholar. This family were at 'Luddenden Foot, Warley' in the
1871 census.
5.Crossley, E.W. (Ed.), Halifax Parish Wills, vol.
II,1545-1559. p. 12. © Tim Midgley. 2008, links revised 13th August 2023.
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A
reference to a Midgley family of Tudor times is found in
Crossfield's Halifax Parish Wills5 where the
chaplain of Heptonstall is John Midgley who died before 20th
October 1545 and was buried at Heptonstall Chapel. He had at
least four children as evidenced by their mention as
beneficiaries.